Rumors have been floating around lately that Apple is planning on remodeling the iPad to be lighter and thinner than its predecessors. Japanese language blog Macotakara is also predicting a March 2013 launch dated, making the fifth-generation iPad the fastest Apple device remodel of all time.

If the rumors are true, Apple will release the fifth-generation iPad within six months of the release of the previous model. So far, the fourth-generation iPad was the fastest remodel due to Apple launching the updated device only eight months after its predecessor. From Macotakara:

“According to my inside source, iPad(5th) may be released in March, 2013. Source said the design of this new iPad will be like the iPad Mini in detail, and be thinner and lightweight

Macotakara reported that the new iPad will be approximately 4mm smaller in height, 17mm smaller in width, and 2mm thinner. The Japanese news blog also reported that production of the second generation iPad mini has already begun.

The remodeled iPad mini is rumored to come with the much-missed Retina display of 2048 X 1536 resolution. The 7.9-inch display is also rumored to be equipped with a faster A6X processor chip.

Personally, I don’t see either of these rumors coming to fruition in March of 2013 simply because Apple loyalists will rise up and revolt. While no one is twisting our arms to be early adopters of Apple products, many of us are. And, because of the company’s reliable history, we used to feel confident that we’d have a whole year with our phones and tablets before a new model came out. If Apple starts launching new versions of devices willy-nilly, we won’t want to upgrade, for fear that a much better version is only six months away.

I predict that Apple will launch the fifth-generation iPad and second generation iPad mini in October or November of 2013 and that will be the new norm for the popular tablet.